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Bug and Bear: A Story of True Friendship by Bonwill, Ann (2011) Paperback
Bear learns to appreciate his best friend, Bug. Bear wants to nap and Bug wants to play, Bear learns to appreciate his friend and in the end they nap together. Ages 4-8
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
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January 15, 2017'A story of true friendship' in which the bear gets thoroughly shamed for eventually losing her rag and telling the bug to let her sleep, but the bug's refusal to entertain himself and let the bear have some downtime is apparently fine. So while it is cute, it's also more pernicious the more I think about it.
August 20, 2013
This story is one to which everyone can relate; sometimes, when we have a persistent friend when we want time alone we can say mean things. For the majority of the story, all Bear wants is to be left alone…all his friend Bug wants to do is play. Instead of explaining to Bug in a nice way that he would like to be left alone, Bear is very mean to Bug. Ultimately, Bear feels bad and apologizes. When she does, both Bug and Bear feel much better and nap together as the best of friends.
This tale sends a lovely message to children about the importance of being good to our friends, no matter what happens or how we feel. Sometimes we make mistakes and that’s ok; but we truly grow when we apologize and forgive.
This tale sends a lovely message to children about the importance of being good to our friends, no matter what happens or how we feel. Sometimes we make mistakes and that’s ok; but we truly grow when we apologize and forgive.
May 4, 2023
Bug wants to play. Bear wants to nap. They walk by other animals. That's about it.
September 8, 2011
My saccharine meter beeped steadily. "Cute" isn't always a good thing.
October 2, 2016
A amizade é linda linda linda!!! ;)
May 29, 2019
Bear is tired and just wants to nap. Bug wants to play and won't leave Bear alone. Bear tries lots of different ways to avoid Bug, but cannot and finally snaps and yells at Bug. She then feels bad and needs to go work it out before she can settle down to sleep. Bright illustrations and a sweet story to help kids learn that annoying people isn't nice and sometimes we all lose our tempers and say things we don't really mean. Also a nice lesson in forgiveness. A good choice for a group read aloud on bears or feelings or friendship.
January 24, 2022
I am not sure this book has that great of a teaching message. However, Luka likes it and looking for the bug even if it is not the correct spot to look for the bug. I hope some of the skills about treating each other with kindness are seeping into is mindset.
December 6, 2017
Really cute art and a good message
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March 9, 2020very sweet friendship story,
beautiful images
beautiful images
February 17, 2023
This was so sweet, I want to read more about Bear befriending Bug and their future adventures!
February 21, 2019
Ystävä voi olla ihan erilainen. Ystävä on edelleen ystävä vaikka ei aina lähde leikkiin mukaan. Marlowin rauhallinen värimaailma on ilo sillmille Disneyn karkkivärien jälkeen.
September 15, 2011
Bug and Bear by Ann Bonwill, illustrated by Layn Marlow is a book about friendship, learning to express yourself in a kind way, and treating your friends the way you'd like to be treated.
When Bug wants to play and Bear wants to nap, grumpy Bear is rather rude and mean to Bug and soon regrets it. They make up and remain friends.
The text is in a large font, with some of Bug's dialog written in a looped print in the wake of the flying bug.
The illustrations are rendered in gouache, pencil, watercolor, and colored crayon on brown card, given the colors a muted tone. Bear has a distinct appearance, and the trees and flowers have a very stylized look. I enjoyed the other animals pictured: Lizard, Chameleon and Turtle.
I think this book could be used in discussing friendship, manners and treating others with kindness and respect with preschool or kindergarten age children. It could also work in discussing relations with younger siblings. Some, particularly some adults, may find this treatment a little too cute and sacchrine, but children may respond well to it. There is opportunity to do diffferent voices and to do a very grumpy bear performance when reading this aloud.
For ages 3 to 5, bears, insects, friendship, fighting-argument, read-aloud, manners-behavior, and fans of Ann Bonwill and Layn Marlow.
When Bug wants to play and Bear wants to nap, grumpy Bear is rather rude and mean to Bug and soon regrets it. They make up and remain friends.
The text is in a large font, with some of Bug's dialog written in a looped print in the wake of the flying bug.
The illustrations are rendered in gouache, pencil, watercolor, and colored crayon on brown card, given the colors a muted tone. Bear has a distinct appearance, and the trees and flowers have a very stylized look. I enjoyed the other animals pictured: Lizard, Chameleon and Turtle.
I think this book could be used in discussing friendship, manners and treating others with kindness and respect with preschool or kindergarten age children. It could also work in discussing relations with younger siblings. Some, particularly some adults, may find this treatment a little too cute and sacchrine, but children may respond well to it. There is opportunity to do diffferent voices and to do a very grumpy bear performance when reading this aloud.
For ages 3 to 5, bears, insects, friendship, fighting-argument, read-aloud, manners-behavior, and fans of Ann Bonwill and Layn Marlow.
September 5, 2014
This is a really cute story about two friends who wake up with very different plans for how to spend the day. Bug is desperate to play but to his disappointment Bear is sleepy and wants to nap instead. Bear tries everything she can to get the message through to Bug that she doesn’t want to play, but instead Bug sees the potential for a game in everything that Bear does. Naturally both animals come Pthat will satisfy the reader. This book has great discussion potential, neither Bug or Bear are a particularly good friend at times.
I really liked Lynn Marlow’s art style. The illustrations use strong colours in slightly muted tones which makes for a very attractive end result. The text is arranged throughout the book in different ways that suits the art for the page really well. I was really interested by the one double page spread that required the book to be turned through 90 degrees. This is a lovely idea and with a quick practice would be easy enough if you were reading the book aloud to a group, it might be a little trickier to juggle if you were reading the book to a squirming toddler sat on your lap.
I really liked Lynn Marlow’s art style. The illustrations use strong colours in slightly muted tones which makes for a very attractive end result. The text is arranged throughout the book in different ways that suits the art for the page really well. I was really interested by the one double page spread that required the book to be turned through 90 degrees. This is a lovely idea and with a quick practice would be easy enough if you were reading the book aloud to a group, it might be a little trickier to juggle if you were reading the book to a squirming toddler sat on your lap.
October 13, 2012
Bug and Bear has some of the most adorable illustrations I have ever seen in a picture book. The subdued colors give a sweet feeling to the atmosphere. I loved how both Bear and Bug were illustrated.
The writing was well done, but I didn't like the concept of the story. The subtitle is "A Story of True Friendship", but Bear is miserable throughout the majority of the book. She employs various ways of hiding from Bug, and constantly tells him to go away and leave her alone. She is quite mean to him, while he is upbeat, cheerful, and just wants to play.
I guess the thing I had a problem with was how thoughtless Bear was. A true friend wouldn't be so rude. If it had been passed off as a story of forgiveness, or a story of learning kindness, I think I could have liked it. Bear could have been much more likable, and the same story could have played out in a more positive way.
Books for Kids
The writing was well done, but I didn't like the concept of the story. The subtitle is "A Story of True Friendship", but Bear is miserable throughout the majority of the book. She employs various ways of hiding from Bug, and constantly tells him to go away and leave her alone. She is quite mean to him, while he is upbeat, cheerful, and just wants to play.
I guess the thing I had a problem with was how thoughtless Bear was. A true friend wouldn't be so rude. If it had been passed off as a story of forgiveness, or a story of learning kindness, I think I could have liked it. Bear could have been much more likable, and the same story could have played out in a more positive way.
Books for Kids
November 23, 2011
Bug wants Bear to play but Bear doesn’t feel like it. Bug tries every trick to talk Bear into playing, but Bug only succeeds in making Bear angry.
“Chameleon gave
Bear an idea. She
would hide from
Bug! She leaned
against a tree,
thinking brown
thoughts. But Bear
didn’t blend into
the bark as well
as she’d hoped…
and along came Bug,
who spotted her
right away.
‘Hide and seek!’ said Bug. ‘Is that what we’re playing?’”
Bear uses things he sees around him to try to find ways to escape Bug and that’s interesting. I also like how the author and illustrator move the text on the page to replicate Bug’s ways of speaking.
“Chameleon gave
Bear an idea. She
would hide from
Bug! She leaned
against a tree,
thinking brown
thoughts. But Bear
didn’t blend into
the bark as well
as she’d hoped…
and along came Bug,
who spotted her
right away.
‘Hide and seek!’ said Bug. ‘Is that what we’re playing?’”
Bear uses things he sees around him to try to find ways to escape Bug and that’s interesting. I also like how the author and illustrator move the text on the page to replicate Bug’s ways of speaking.
September 8, 2011
Sometimes it takes a moment of reflection to realize that we haven't treated someone the way we'd like to be treated. Bug and Bear are best friends, but sometimes friends don't feel like playing, and feel like napping instead! Learning to express yourself in a kind and understanding way can be hard for children- and bears. So, when Bear hurts Bug's feelings, even a cozy cave can't make him feel good inside.
This book makes an excellent tool for teaching children about respecting the feeling's of others.
Reading Level: 1st-3rd
Interest Level: Preschool-3rd
This book makes an excellent tool for teaching children about respecting the feeling's of others.
Reading Level: 1st-3rd
Interest Level: Preschool-3rd
November 6, 2011
Bear just wants to take a nap but his friend Bug is, well, bugging him. Bear tries to avoid his friend using his animal friends' adaptations - a chameleon's camouflage, a turtle's ability to hide in its shell, a lizard staying perfectly still. Finally, Bear lumbers into her cave, leaving a disappointed Bug behind. Bear feels guilty and finds her friend. The apology, sweet and meaningful, is a good model for younger students.
Recommended for pre-K through grade 1.
Recommended for pre-K through grade 1.
March 21, 2011
I enjoyed this story of a grumpy little bear and a persistent bee. Bee wants to play with bear and continues to try and get bear to engage in games. Bear just wants to be left alone. When he finally gets to take a nap, he can't. Bear is thinking about how he treated his friend Bee. A sweet story of friendship, and how to repair a friendship when it is broken.
September 17, 2011
The story doesn't say anything particularly new, but the illustrations are sweet. (I want to embroider the flowers and leaves.) The part I liked best was how Bear got ideas of how to hide from other animals (turtle, chameleon, lizard) but Bug just interpreted them as different games (Hide and Seek, Follow the Leader, Statues).
September 9, 2011
I really liked this book! I liked both the story about two friends who don't always see eye to eye and the beautiful illustrations. I love the illustrator's choice of colors and the unique look of the bear in the story is just great. These are some of my favorite illustrations so far this year. This book is just cute!!!
April 17, 2012
This is a really cute story about friendship and could lead into a discussion about what friendship is and how people should treat each other. This book could also be used to talk about how to make things better once you have hurt someone's feelings. For this reason, I would recommend this book to any child that I notice having a conflict with friend.
May 29, 2016
This was a sweet friendship book. A Bug and a Bear are friends. But Bear has woken up in a grumpy mood but bug wants her to play. She keeps after Bear trying to get Bear in a better mood. True friends being with one another even though one was not being very friendly. But in the end Bug gets Bear feeling better.
July 5, 2012
A very sweet book about Bear, who is grumpy, and Bug who just wants to play with Bear. Bug keeps asking Bear to play and Bear keeps telling Bug to "bug off". Finally Bug gets the hint and when Bear decides to go to sleep, she has a hard time relaxing because of how she treated Bug.
April 3, 2013
I would characterize this book as "bland." Not terribly interesting, not terribly inventive, and it went too far in its pursuit of sweetness at the expense of the story. The pictures were cute, though.
March 4, 2011
Sweet story. My bookbag review is here: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
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May 11, 2011story of friendship
July 7, 2011
loved the illustrations.
July 11, 2011
While Bug and Bear are friends, it reads more like dealing with a younger sibling.
November 4, 2011
It's alright, probably a two and half star book for the cute illustrations. But frankly I'll take Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard over this any day.
January 29, 2015
A great story about friendship.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews